Angie Mead King on Hotel Ava's Leaner, Greener, Kinder Transition From Victoria Court
Angie Mead King is many things. We can't just agree on one description, really. She's a philanthropist, environmentalist, entrepreneur, vlogger, bee keeper, race car driver, farmer, and a champion of LGBTQIA+ rights. But for now, let's talk about her as the Chief Visionary Officer, who is busy with Victoria Court's recent rebranding to Hotel Ava.
The news came out as quite a shock to many, considering that Victoria Court, which she and her brother Atticus inherited from their late hotelier dad Archimedes “Archie” King, is one of the most recognizable brands this side of Metro Manila (we've all seen the sign shushing us). The announcement also coincided with Pride Month. That, Angie King did on purpose.
"I thought it would have more impact when I released my personal journey, plus my corporate journey," she told Esquire Philippines. "It's a transition that doesn't happen overnight. It's a process, a path that one undertakes to look for the better or the best version of themselves. And that's what we're trying to do with the business also."
King receiving her trophy and holding a transgender pride flag at the MSCC Miata Spec Series last June 2022.
Business as usual doesn't always apply to a post-pandemic work setting, especially in the hospitality industry. A lot of changes were and had to be done, and King herself noted these in various conversations with family when it came to Hotel Ava. Approaching 30 years, Victoria Court had a good run, but the brand wasn't exactly hers to begin with. She said she and Atticus, who runs several other branches of Victoria Court, had butted heads several times on certain policies and directions. Before their father passed, they would even have him be a referee of sorts for disputes.
This rebrand of King's would ultimately bring them peace. "It's very amicable and what I liked about it is now that I have changed the brand, me and my brother have nothing to argue about anyone," she noted. "It's always like, 'No, I want to do this.' But that doesn't apply to me. So it's like, now, because of the rebrand, I get to hang out with my family and not talk work anymore. And it makes everything so light and pleasant."
Historically, rebrands have been part of the King business model. Before Victoria Court was Victoria Court, it had been Anito Lodge in the '70s, which was opened by their grandfather, Angelo. The decade also brought about Vinta Lodge in Pasig. Business boomed and soon came Akasya Lodge, Anahaw, and Anito Royale in the '80s, with their father and uncle, Wyden, leading the growth of the famed motel line.
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King is a different leader and is her own woman, after all. These are part of the reasons why her employees love her so much. When the pandemic struck, it forced King and Victoria Court to let go of a lot of her people. "I gave everyone their retirement funds so that they have something to hold them over."
She continued: "My core team stuck it out with me through thick and thin. And when we reopened, I basically removed all the benefits. We started ground zero because we definitely fired everyone retrenched, everyone. So when we rehired, I only promised a 50-percent salary. And yet, people came back... Now that things are stable, part of the rebranding (or) the reimaging was to ensure that the people who took care of me through the tough times are being rewarded now."
Good company morale, of course, should create a certain harmony where both employees and guests are welcomed and valued. King equips her employees with 13th month pay, 14th month pay, six-months paid maternity leaves, and three-months paid paternity leaves, plus free food and coffee and more benefits. "We're trying to cover all bases so that my people are not focused on how are they going to pay to live."
Before the pandemic, they had 360 employees. Now that number is at about 180. King had also fixed the organizational and procedural structure, where workers had to be more dynamic in their roles. Working days had been reduced from five to four, too. They're leaner now and as efficient as ever. King also allows her employees to be more "artistic" and "individualized" when it comes to their appearances. Yes, much like their boss, they have a license to be cool.
Some of Hotel Ava's in-progress green walls are coming in nicely.
"The nice thing with our farm is, unlike the hydroponic setups you get locally, we're able to grow both fruiting and leafy vegetables in the beds and using that in our system. We do it all in one tower, which is ideal for survival. You'd want the variety and you don't want a monocrop," she said.
King's corporate programs focus more on a consultation-and-learning approach of the job, too. "I implemented this human resources practice called 'discipline without punishment,'" she added. Instead of penalizing people for supposed offenses and written warnings, King opts for conversation first. "Let's have a chat and learning area what happened... So there's a humane aspect where we try to understand the point of view of the employee."
As far as the new hotel is concerned, its going to get a (greener) facelift, too. She's been working on their sustainability efforts since 2016. "I've been working on the farm life since then, and looking for innovative ways to farm, which is why we brought into the farms, which is a faster, more surefire way to grow vegetables. We're actually building an indoor flower farm on our head office balcony, to show people in the city." Rainwater collection systems, solar panels, a farm-to-table setup, and more should also be expected from Hotel Ava very soon.
When she's not managing hotels and being the coolest person in the world, King is busy doing even more good. Her philanthropy work doesn't get talked about enough, and she prefers it that way. "I guess it's something I learned also from my dad, because when my father died, we got approached by so many priests, so many non-government organizations (NGOs), saying that 'your father has been helping us, but it's always been under the radar.' And it's so sad that he's gone. And I guess I picked it up from him also."
View this post on Instagram>p>p"I wanted to donate to spread the message of Looking for Juan’s books. Sadly, I don't think parents and teachers are educated enough to explain these things to children. The books clearly describe things that kids should know early on," King explained. >p
Photo by Looking for Juan.>p>pOne of her latest philanthropic efforts was a collaboration with Looking for Juan. Last May, the "Buy-1-Donate-Books" program donated books and learning materials to kids in Palawan. The children at East Central School and San Miguel National High School got about 200 copies of books like "I Am the Change in Climate Change," "Safe Space: A Kid's Guide to Data Privacy," and "I Like Wearing Rainbows." The books' subject matter were exactly what she advocates for: from educating kids about climate change and our collective responsibility to talking about the nuances of data privacy and gender expression and identity.>pIt's an ode to her father, too. In her youth their father had done book donation drives, as well. So it made sense to help out in the same way. King is raring to do it again, so she said, and she's going to be as subtle with it as she's always been.>pHer life is anything but subtle though. One day, we'd catch her winning races abroad. The next, she's out there taking care of her tomatoes, spinach, or lettuce on the farm. Other occasions, she's busy with her vlog and, well, the bees. There aren't exactly many slow days for innovators like King. We suppose that that's just part of the burden of being arguably the coolest hotelier in the Philippines.>p
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